Possible Italian F1 team to join the grid in 2019

Zoran Stefanovic has revealed plans for a second attempt to enter a team in Formula 1 after meeting Ross Brawn in Austria, having previously to enter as Stefan GP.

Stefanovic had previously owned the Stefan GP team that fell to the wayside after the FIA denied him an entry, despite the team owner claiming the team had completed its cars and signing Kazuki Nakajima to drive.

The project was then canned but with recent rumours that a number of teams, including the much discussed China F1 Racing Team, were looking to enter F1, Stefanovic has publically stated that he is launching a second attempt to enter.

He has set up facilities in Parma and hired former Williams and Ferrari man Enrique Scalabroni to start putting together the technical aspects of the outfit, already reaching an agreement to use a wind tunnel facility.

Speaking exclusively to Autosport about his plans Stefanovic said: "I am here to meet Ross Brawn because I am setting up an F1 team based in Italy.

"Before coming to Austria I've put together some very important agreements: I defined that it will be based in Parma, which is located a reasonable distance from the wind tunnel.

"I've also signed a contract with a specialist in aerodynamics to help work on the project."

Stefeanovic plans to build the team over the next 12 months before setting a target of securing an entry for 2019, but any grid addition would be dependent on the FIA deciding to open the tender for a new slot.

FIA president Jean Todt has made it clear that the entries will only be opened up if he feels there are serious candidates ready to fill the places.

"When we feel it is time we will be able to make a tender," Todt said last month.

"At the moment we have ten teams and the idea is to have up to 12 teams. So we have an opportunity, if we have one or two strong newcomers it could be possible."

Stefan Grand Prix, was founded by Serbian-born engineer and businessman Zoran Stefanović, with hopes of becoming Serbia's first Formula One team. Stefanović and Stefan Grand Prix had attempted to enter Formula One on two previous occasions; once in 1996 and again one year later with an attempt to purchase the remains of Lola's abortive 1997 entry.

Disputed entry
In 2009, Formula One's governing body, the FIA, opened applications for new teams to join the 2010 grid. Applications from fifteen new teams were received, with three (Campos Meta (later to be renamed Hispania Racing), Manor Grand Prix (later to be renamed Virgin Racing) and Team USF1) being selected in July 2009 to join the existing ten teams for 2010. Stefan GP was one of the unsuccessful applicants.

The Formula One community was first made aware of Stefanović's ambitions after he filed a complaint with the European Commission, of a similar nature to one submitted by N.Technology. Stefanović claimed that the entry selection process had been biased in favour of teams who had nominated to run the Cosworth engines that were being introduced for 2010. He claimed that the FIA had not simply shown bias against non-Cosworth teams, but also against teams which would be classified as manufacturers, citing that new teams Virgin Racing, Campos and USF1 had planned to outsource the design of their chassis to other firms and design studios, whereas Stefan Grand Prix had the support of Serbian company AMCO, and thus could build its own cars independently. This bias, he claimed, was supported by Prodrive's failure to make the grid; like Stefan, Prodrive would have the facilities to build its own chassis. Stefanović also had the support of Mike Coughlan, the disgraced McLaren engineer. The team has released photographs showing Coughlan in its offices.

In November 2009, Toyota officially backed out of the championship, following a manufacturer exodus led by Honda and BMW. Despite initial plans not to sell the team on, Stefanović acquired the rights to use the team's chassis, gearbox and the 2010 spec engine. It also employed several former Toyota team members, then out of work after being made redundant by Toyota. With the vacancy left by Toyota, the FIA moved to fill the thirteenth and final grid position, which was contested between Stefanović and Peter Sauber, after BMW sold the team back to him. Sauber was eventually accepted to the grid. Stefanović was later reported as pursuing a 2010 grid position despite the thirteenth grid position having been awarded to Sauber.

The more teams the better but they have to be compitive I don't want anymore caterhams and hrts I doubt his entry will have the funding to enter Stefano gp was a disaster in 2010 I don't see it changing in 2019

Any word on this guy as far as what the locals think of him...if they know him? Is the guy legit or does he have a "shady" persona with regards to who he affliates himself with?

From what I know him, when I meet him couple of times, and speak with him, I cannot say he is shady. Very smart. Educated. Private business. For what I know he is into mechanical engineering. Who know... Maybe he can pull it...

From what I know him, when I meet him couple of times, and speak with him, I cannot say he is shady. Very smart. Educated. Private business. For what I know he is into mechanical engineering. Who know... Maybe he can pull it...

From what I know him, when I meet him couple of times, and speak with him, I cannot say he is shady. Very smart. Educated. Private business. For what I know he is into mechanical engineering. Who know... Maybe he can pull it...

Having gone through a failed attempt it's reasonable to assume he knows why he failed and what he needs to add to this attempt. So perhaps there is some chance of it happening. It's probably far more likely than any VAG entry happening